what the heck is this list about?

I mean, he says this: During the past 25 years, there have been countless sentiments that respectable Democratic politicians were never, ever supposed to say out loud. It still isn't wise for Obama to say them, but maybe the New Complacency will loosen other tongues within the political mainstream. Even if it doesn't, it's fun to think about what those utterances might be. What follows is a list, compiled with help from my fellow Slate staffers. The views expressed don't necessarily reflect those of the contributors—one of whom is a conservative Republican—or even me. Hmmm...I really don't get the point of this. They're sentiments that Noah would like to see in the mainstream?...no, he says he doesn't agree with all of them. Or rather, he doesn't agree with all of them but he'd like to hear politicians saying them? (why?) I mean, he starts out talking about "the new complacency", and then says, "here's a bunch of nutty leftist stereotypes!" Is he trying to avoid complacency by reminding everyone why the country doesn't like the left? It was precisely by separating themselves from this sort of nonsense that the Democrats gained legitimacy... What on earth is Noah up to?

He wanted to give you a list of reasons to vote for Mccain. :)

Right. Of course the conservative had fun with this list - it's every cartoon straw man representation of the left that they could come up with.

It's just the usual lazy click-baiting that Slate loves. The usual hackery that reminds me why I so seldom come here. OK electoral college map, though.

Yeah, I have to say, I don't entirely get it either.

They were sort of amusing liberal fantasies or whatever, except for this one:

"I think Mormons are kooks!"

I'm kind of a fan of the Mormons so I tend to be sensitive to slights to my friends. Is this something we'd be amused to hear in political discourse once Democratic polititians are complacent? Even now, people don't really hesitate to bash Mormons. I would be pretty ticked off to hear a politician label an entire diverse group of people as kooks.

I know the list is a joke and made of all sorts of things that make people angry. But this one was just mean and bigoted.

[stepping down from soap box]

This list is a good argument for the "vote McCain so Democrats won't go out of control" cause. I really don't need to hear anybody say, "Evolution should be taught in Sunday school," and those who do can already go straight to the blogosphere. :-P

It's seems a pretty obvious (and pretty funny) joke to me. I'm impressed that people aren't getting it.

I think he's saying that the right has been making equally offensive statements out in the open for a long time now, since the discourse has been steadily shifting to the right for a long time now, so that what used to be "ridiculously right-wing" positions are now simply "right-wing" positions. This is Noah's attempt at a left-wing version of what he has seen happen with right-wing positions.

I find the list to be utterly terrifying, but then again, I'm a "liberal" nowadays even though in the past I was a "centrist" and I haven't changed my philosophy. Hmm...

But Mormons ARE kooks (I should know, I've been married to an ex-one for 20 years) and Karl Marx DID have some relevant things to say about capitalism.

On the other hand, I don't see liberals anytime soon saying complacent things like the quote I saw from a 22-year-old Nebraskan in the NYTimes yesteday who said she thought Obama was the "anti-christ". The gap is still far too wide for a parity in absurdity.